far east movement: East + West = the new bop!

10 questions

Far East Movement is never a strange name to hip hop fans. Their hits “Like a G6” made them the first Asian-American group to earn a number one on the Billboard Hot 100 – their music has already started a “movement” to change the US music scene. Recently, Far East Movement came back to Hong Kong for Billboard Radio China Live In Hong Kong 2018 with two special guests Hong Kong C-Pop legend Alex To and Canto-Pop singer Josie Ho. Meanwhile, they also received Billboard Radio China award Top International Group 2017. Prior to the show, we sat down with them at Fleming Hotel to talk about their new projects, as well as their lives offstage.

In 2016, Far East Movement’s own record label Transparent Agency signed with some of the great names in the industry, like rapper Dumbfoundead and singer-songwriter Satica. Many people think that they are trying to be producers, even they themselves describe this is “a new phrase of our career”, but in fact they have never given up onstage as performers. “We are actually going to put up a new album under our own label. It will be a half Chinese, half English album, kind of bridging east and west. We got a record with Jay Park, and also a lot other great artists, we feel excited about the collaborations.”

Apart from Transparent Agency, they also have a joint label with Trap City, and this label is developing fast as well. “At first we got Jay Park, and then Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. We have amazing record line-ups and we are bringing in a lot of MCs who make great trap electronic music. So far the response has been great, and we hope to bring our music to a new place.”

2017 is definitely a big year for Asian musicians, K-Pop groups like BTS rise to fame in the US and other European countries. Far East Movement think that it is a good chance for them to show the world the standard of Asian music. “We are so glad that Asian countries are targeting the global market. Like BTS are singing in Korean, and Chinese Hip Hop group Higher Brothers are rapping in Chinese. They are not trying to change who they are, that makes us more proud and more excited to present our music despite some differences in cultural background.”

Far East Movement’s new album is definitely highly-anticipated. We look forward to seeing it storming in every single music chart! Check out the full interview and find out more about Far East Movement's performance at Billboard Radio China, watch the interview highlights video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7DFd6GTVG4